Hot tubs and similar devices are used for recreation, exercise, and physical therapy. Hot tubs are often employed for treating sore muscles or for relaxation after exercise or rigorous physical activity.
Use of hot tubs often occurs out of doors and after dark. For reasons of safety and convenience, lighting systems are often mounted in hot tubs. Such lighting systems help to create a positive atmosphere or ambience, which may change as a function of the brightness of the lights, the types and colors of the lights, the number of light sources, and the location of the light sources relative to the users.
Lighting systems in hot tubs or pools have historically involved placing point light sources slightly above the water line within the main body of the tub, generally in water tight fixtures that either slightly protrude from the walls of the hot tub or pool, or, more commonly, are recessed within a niche formed into the walls to which they are mounted. Light is typically supplied from an incandescent light bulb or a light emitting diode (LED) lamp placed in the fixture.
The lighting systems in the art also generally involve one or more point light sources of varying brightness placed below the water line. These light sources propagate light into a body of water in a direction principally perpendicular to the wall on which the light source is mounted.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,712,913 discloses a lighted panel system for use in hot tubs, swim spas, and swimming pools that is mounted to the wall or lining of a tub. The lighted panel system comprises a light diffusing panel, a light source that illuminates the light diffusing panel, and a mounting structure that couples the light diffusing panel to the tub wall. Diffusers are preferably provided to the light diffusing panel in line with the light source and mounting structure to decoratively hide such components and further diffuse the light.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,204,602 discloses an LED light assembly, the light assembly comprising a reflective plate comprising a plurality of perforations formed therethrough the reflective plate, a plurality of LED bulbs wherein each LED bulb protrudes through a respective perforation of the plurality of perforations, and a control circuit selectively operable to produce a plurality of colored lights through the plurality of LED bulbs wherein the control circuit comprises a switch which when activated a defined number of times produces a plurality of at least light colors and light patterns wherein each of the plurality of at least light colors and light patterns are selected based on the defined number of times the switch is activated.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,517 discloses a lighting system suitable for chromatherapy includes a plurality of light fixtures mounted through walls of a tub basin to project different color light into the water in the tub. The light fixtures are operated by a central control unit and each includes a housing having a concave internal surface. An array of light emitting diodes that project different color light is mounted under a cap covering one end of the housing. A lens is threaded onto the opposite end of the housing from within the tub basin to secure the light fixture to the tub. The concave surface has the different color light projected on it, and reflects light out the light fixture in mixed fashion.